THE SERPENT POWER

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The Serpent Power, Kundalini, the coiled one, - represents the enormous untapped potential energy residing within all of us. Revered as a goddess she is the force that both enslaves and liberates the individual soul. Coiled she is the maintainer of the material existence, uncoiled she is the force which reabsorbs it.

During this 10 day silent retreat we will be using some of the core techniques from kundalini yoga, primarily pranayama, to stir up this power within us. Rather than treating the practice of physical techniques as a secondary aspect, the retreat aims to use these practices to deepen the meditative state, teaching us to use this energy to propel ourselves progressively higher into states of expanded awareness. We will also look at what other traditions say regarding kundalini and approach her awakening from multiple perspectives. Guidelines will be given on how to meditate using this upsurge of energy and how to keep the mind focused and absorbed. We will also be using some special music meditations to enliven the emotions and evoke states of divine inspiration. The retreat aims to find the perfect balance between transcendence and immanence, shiva and shakti.

Some of the topics we will cover in the retreat include: Kundalini as described in the classical yogic texts as well as in other traditions; Kundalini in sexual tantric practice; The process of awakening, its relevance to spiritual development, how it manifests at different levels of the being and common experiences that may ensue; Shaktopaya - Kundalini as viewed in Kashmiri Shaivism; Myths / Assumptions / Accounts of dramatic or chaotic awakenings